


Wishing You Every Happiness

by Spacecadet72



Series: Living Proof [1]
Category: Knives Out (2019)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, Harlan Lives
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-12
Updated: 2020-04-12
Packaged: 2021-03-01 20:34:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,281
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23573182
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Spacecadet72/pseuds/Spacecadet72
Summary: Harlan comes to see Marta as she's getting ready for her wedding.
Relationships: Benoit Blanc/Marta Cabrera
Series: Living Proof [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1700794
Comments: 11
Kudos: 125





	Wishing You Every Happiness

**Author's Note:**

> This is for Cablanca Week Day 7: Free Choice. 
> 
> I love the idea of Harlan living and continuing to be in Marta's life, and when this idea came to me, I knew I had to write it. :D I am working on a fic that imagines the movie if Harlan had lived, but I didn't want to wait to post this one.
> 
> [Marta's dress.](https://www.sophiatolli.com/sophia-tolli/fall-2018/y21818)

Marta looked at herself in the mirror. She was in her dress, her hair and makeup were done, and she just needed to wait until the ceremony started. She couldn’t believe it was actually here, but the white lace and tulle dress she was in reminded her that the day had arrived. It felt like she and Benoit had been planning the wedding for so long that it would never actually come.

“You look beautiful,” her mom said, reaching over and giving her hand a squeeze.

“Benoit isn’t going to know what hit him,” Alice said with a wide grin.

“It’s actually here,” Marta said, still disbelieving. “I’m getting married in twenty minutes.”

A knock came at the door, and Alice walked over to answer it.

“May I have a moment with the lovely bride?”

“Harlan,” Marta said with a smile, turning to the door and nodding at her mom’s and Alice’s looks. They left quietly and then it was just her and Harlan.

He held his hands out to her. “I’m so happy for you,” he said, his eyes shining with affection. “If anything good was going to come out of that debacle with Ransom, I’m glad it was this.”

For not the first time that afternoon, Marta felt tears prick her eyes. She nodded. “Me too.”

“I’ve seen it, but I want to be sure. He makes you happy?” Harlan asked with a warm smile.

Marta nodded, her vision blurring with tears. “He makes me so happy.” When she first met Benoit as the dramatic, Southern private detective helping find out who had wanted Harlan dead, she could never have imagined it would lead them here, but she was so glad it did.

He handed her a handkerchief. “I’ve told him this already, but if he hurts you, I have enough money to kill him and not go to jail for it,” he said with a twinkle in his eyes.

She dabbed at her eyes, glad she had used waterproof makeup. “I don’t think you’re the first to give him the shovel talk. I’m pretty sure Alice beat you to it,” Marta said, rolling her eyes. “Besides, even if he hurts me, I can handle myself.”

He chuckled. “You’re right there.”

“I’m so glad you’re here,” Marta said softly. If Ransom had gotten his way, Harlan wouldn’t have been here to see her take this step with Benoit. As Harlan was the one to bring Benoit into the investigation, they might never had met. Neither outcome was one she wanted to contemplate.

The look in Harlan’s eyes told her he was thinking the same thing, but he gave her a smile, despite the pain of that memory. “I wouldn’t have missed this for anything.”

She leaned in to hug him, holding on tightly. She hadn’t known how her life would change when she met Harlan Thrombey, not the least of which was that she had gained a very precious friend.

“I should probably let you finish getting ready,” he said as he pulled back, and there were tears in his eyes as well. “Can’t have the bride late for the wedding.”

“Not even for you,” she said with a teasing smile. “I’ll see you at the reception.”

“No longer as Marta Cabrera,” he said as he walked toward the door.

“But still me.”

He nodded with a chuckle and walked out of the room.

Marta turned back to the mirror as her mom and Alice came back inside. Only a few more minutes and she would be Benoit’s wife and he would be her husband. Taking in a deep breath, she ran her hands down her skirt before turning away from the mirror. “I’m ready.”

* * *

Harlan took his seat on the bride’s side of the church, near the front. He caught Benoit’s eye from where he stood near the front of the chapel, and exchanged smiles, although Benoit’s held that same sort of nervous excitement that Marta’s had.

The processional music began and everyone stood as the wedding party began walking down the aisle. It was a small party, Alice Cabrera walking in on Kurt Wagner’s arm, while a friend of Marta’s and a friend of Benoit’s followed behind. Then it was who everyone had waited for.

While most of the guests turned to watch Marta and her mother walk down the aisle, he had already seen Marta and knew she looked resplendent. He kept his gaze on Benoit’s face, wanting to see his reaction to Marta.

The look of pure love and complete and utter awe on Benoit’s face as he saw Marta in her wedding dress for the first time was radiant, and he reached up to wipe at his eyes as she approached.

The guests sat as Marta reached the altar and the ceremony began. Marta and Benoit kept their eyes on each other as they promised to love, support and honor each other for the rest of their lives.

It brought back memories of Harlan's own wedding, so many decades before. He missed his late wife, Margaret, every day, but he wished she was here now, that she could have known Marta and Benoit and been here not just for this moment, but all the ones she had missed since she passed years ago.

Although, with everything else that had happened, maybe it was for the best that she hadn’t seen just how completely he had failed as a father and grandfather.

But today wasn’t a day for sad reminiscences. Today was about Marta and Benoit and their love and union. Harlan beamed, his eyes shining with unshed tears as they kissed, now husband and wife.

As they walked down the aisle hand in hand, Harlan was able to catch Marta’s eye. He knew he would have time to talk to them at the reception, but seeing her brilliant smile and knowing how happy she was with the man next to her caused the tears to spill down his cheeks. He loved her like she was his own daughter, and her friendship was precious to him. To know that she had found someone good to share her life with brought him so much joy.

Later, as he arrived at the reception, the first person to greet him was Marta’s mother. She grabbed his arm, exchanging a proud, happy look with him.

“You must be so happy,” he said, with a smile to mirror hers.

She nodded. “He will be good to her,” she said, with a warm smile. “I wanted to thank you for coming and for everything you’ve done for her.”

Harlan shook his head. “It was my pleasure. I wouldn’t have missed this.” He had been there for all of his children’s weddings, and those had been joyous occasions, but that didn't mean the marriages that followed had been quite so fulfilling. He suspected it would be different with Marta and Benoit.

Mrs. Cabrera patted his arm and then with a goodbye, moved on.

Harlan moved further into the beautifully decorated venue, and watched Benoit and Marta sitting together at the head table. They were wrapped up in each other, not paying attention to anything around them.

As clever as he knew he was, he couldn’t predict the future, but he had seen them together often enough to know that if they continued on in the pattern they had already set up, theirs would be a good life together.

Marta laughed at something Benoit said and he joined in with her laughter, leaning in even closer to her and Harlan could only smile at the picture they made.

Yes, he decided, they would weather life’s ups and downs together and be quite happy.


End file.
